Solar is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and abroad, but penetration remains relatively low versus the number of homes that could benefit from solar. The price per kilowatt-hour for solar is now competitive with or below that of fossil fuel based utility power in most areas, however, solar largely remains a niche product for those who value saving money, reducing CO2 emissions, and/or people living off the grid.
One factor that may limit the adoption of solar technology is aesthetics. Most residential solar systems are installed as rectangular framed photovoltaic (PV) modules positioned above an existing tile or composite shingle roof. The solar array often only covers a portion of the roof and therefore stands out both in height and material as separate and distinct from the underlying existing roof. This structure is visible even from the street level and over large distances.
Another obstacle to solar adoption in existing homes is the dissonance between the age of the existing roof and the lifespan of a solar system, particularly where the existing roof is made from composite shingles. The expected life of a solar system is at least 25 years, and the expected life of a composite shingle roof ranges from 20 to 50 years, depending on the local climate and quality of materials. At the time a customer is considering going solar, their existing roof may have less remaining lifespan than the expected lifespan of a solar system. So when deciding to go solar, the customer may be presented with the dilemma of having to get a new roof in addition to the solar system, which dramatically increases the cost of going solar.
Accordingly, there is a need to resolve the dissonance between the expected life of the solar system and the remaining life of the roof, that also blends in aesthetically with the complete roof surface, and that does not require the prospective customer to pay for a new roof and a new solar system over that roof.